More images of Sony Ericsson’s upcoming Android Rachael smartphone have leaked and confirm it’s a real looker, right up with the iPhone’s minimalistic beauty. Nokia, with its clunky retro-boring N97 should watch out.

The Racheal’s funky 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 8 megapixel autofocus camera and 3D graphics acceleration should even give the new iPhone 3G S a real run for its money. But first, check out those neat design curves.

And then watch this small clip to get a feeling for how Sony’s dropped its own interface ideas on top of the Android OS–it’s pretty interesting stuff. In fact, it’s more than interesting–it’s actually elegant, approaching Apple levels in terms of the smoothness and attractiveness of the design. It even looks like it might actually be fun to interact with the phone via its UI, something that I’ve only ever experienced when I first picked up an iPhone.

As a really strong offering from Sony Ericsson, the Rachael could be seen as a sign that Nokia is in even more trouble than we think it already is as it faces the smartphone future. It’s recent N97 device just isn’t up to the job. And if the N97’s clunky shape and awkward UI are an indicator for how Nokia’s design team will build its next smartphones, then Nokia’s Global King of Cellphones crown really may be about to slip.